- More than 300 people have been killed in Turkey and Syria after a strong 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Turkey on Monday.
- The earthquake occurred at 4:17 am local time and was felt in Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece and Israel. Its epicenter was 32 km from Gaziantep, a large city in the southeast of the country.
- At least 76 people died in Turkey, Turkish officials said, according to AFP. Officials said 23 people died in Malatya province, 17 in Urfa, 7 in Osmaniye and 6 in Diyarbakir, although the number is expected to rise much higher due to extensive damage.
- There have been reports of deaths in Syria. At least 245 people were killed in Aleppo, Hama and Lattakia and 516 were wounded, according to the Syrian health ministry.
- Members of the Syrian civil defense operating in rebel-held areas are claiming "dozens of casualties and people trapped under the rubble" after the earthquake. The civil defense, known as the White Helmets, said in a tweet that the volunteer group was working to rescue survivors.
- Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that 10 cities were affected by the earthquake. The official said the cities of Gaziantep, Kahramanmaras, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adiyaman, Malatya, Sanliurfa, Adana, Diyarbakir and Kilis had all suffered damage.
- There were reports of tremors felt in Lebanon, Greece, Syria, Israel and Cyprus.
Sources: Reuters, Agence France-Presse
